Sleigh



Oct. 5, 1937- J. MCNAMARA 2,094,804

SLEIGH Filed April 1, 1937 Z'Sheets-Sheet l Aj- Inventor J Mall/72a fl//l mdi'd ma.

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Attorneys J. M. M NAMARA SLEIGH Oct. 5, 1937.

Filed April 1, 1937 2 Sheets$heet 2 v Inventor J A1610; '0? M A/aha 7'aAttorneys Patented Oct. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES SLEIGH James MauriceMcNamara, Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada Application April 1, 1937,Serial No. 134,397

2 Claims.

- This invention relates to sleighs, and an object of the invention isto provide a sleigh particularly designed for use by young children andwhich is so equipped as to be propelled by the action of 5 the feet ofthe occupant, thus enhancing the value of the sleigh as an exercisingand body building and strengthening device.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, will be bestunderstood from a study 10 of the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view .of the sleigh;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof; Figure 3 is a rear elevational viewof the sleigh; 15 and Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of oneof the rear runners viewing the same from the inner side thereof.

Referring to the drawings by reference numer- 20 als, it will be seenthat in the preferred embodiment thereof the sleigh comprises a body orplatform portion 5 enlarged at one end to provide a seat 6 and beingrelatively narrow and longitudinally tapered at its opposite end toprovide 25 a foot board or extension 1. For the seat 6 there is providedan arcuate back 8 integral with sides 9. The back 8 and integral sides 9may be of any suitable construction.

At the front of the sleigh there is provided a 30 steering runnerassembly indicated generally by the reference numeral Hi. The assemblyIn comprises a pair of spaced apart runners ,I I connected by across-bar I2 on which is supported one end of the foot board 1.Extending through the 35 cross-bar l2 and also through an opening in thefoot board 1 is a relatively short pivot post l3 that extends through anintermediate portion of a foot bar I4. It will be understood that boththe foot bar M and the runner assembly l rotate 40 about the post l3 asan axis.

Supporting the seat end 6 of the sleigh and disposed at opposite sidesof the sleigh are propulsion runners l5.

Each of the runners on the inner side thereof 45 and adjacent theforward end thereof has a laterally extending eye or apertured lug l6which is suitably engaged with a longitudinal guide l1 suitably securedat its respective opposite ends to a side edge of the rear portion 6 ofthe sleigh 50 platform 5 and extending longitudinally of said platformin spaced relation to said edge thereof, as clearly shown.

The propulsionrunners l5 are connected with the foot bar l4 through themedium of links I8 55 which at one end are pivoted to the ends of thebar 14 and at a relatively opposite end are forked to straddle therunners I5 and are pivoted to said runners 'as at i9.

Extending laterally of the sleigh at the junction of the back 8 andsides 9 are brackets 20 to which are pivoted as at 2| lever arms 22.Rods 23 are pivoted at one end to the runners l5 and at their upper endsto the lever arms 22.

Also, pivoted to the back 8 as at 23 is a rocker arm 24, the respectiveopposite ends of which have suitable connections 25 with theaforementioned free ends of the lever arms 22. The rocker arm 24 andassociated parts serve to support the weight of the sleigh, and therebymake it easier for the child to actuate the runners.

Each runner l5 has pivoted to the rear end thereof as at 26 a propellingfoot 21 that is normally urged into parallelism with the adjacent endedge of the runner through the medium of a spring 28.

Also, each runner I5 is provided at the inner side thereof and inwardlyfrom the rear end edge thereof with a second propelling foot 29 pivotedat one end thereto as at 30. A spring 3i is also provided for normallyurging the foot 29 to swing in a counter-clockwise direction.

Also, forming part of the steering assembly i0 is a steering rod andpull handle 32 which at one end is provided with a cross-head 33 that ispivotally engaged between the forward ends of the runners ll. Thus, itwill be seen that the handle 32 is used for steering the sleigh, andalso may be used for pulling the sleigh.

In actual practice the occupant of the sleigh sits on the platform 5with the feet disposed 35 against the bar I4 and by pushing on the bar Mwith the right and left foot in alternation, the propulsion runners l5are caused to move forwardly in alternation in a manner to cause thesleigh to move forward. In this connection it will be understood that asa runner I5 moves forwardly, the propulsion feet 21, 29 associated withsaid runner will swing in a clockwise direction against the action ofsprings 28 and 3| so as not to interfere with the forward movement ofthe runner. On the other hand, the feet 21, 29 associated with the otherrunner will imbed them selves in the snow to provide a'traction meanstherefor with theresult that the movement of.

the runners l5 forwardly in alternation will cause the sleigh toprogress forwardly.

Thus, it will be seen that the sleigh will be propelled by the action ofthe occupant of the sleigh and accordingly the sleigh, in addition togiving pleasure to the occupant, will also call upon the occupant toexercise his body in the propulsion of the sleigh so that the latterserves also as a body exerciser and builder.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a sleigh of the character described, a platform presenting a seatat the rear end portion thereof and a leg support at the forward endthereof, a steering runner assembly supporting the forward end of theplatform, a. pair of propulsion runners supporting the rear end of theplatform, means for supporting the rear end of the platform between saidpropulsion runners in a manner permitting movement of said propulsionrunners longitudinally relative to the sleigh platform, a foot barpivotally mounted at the forward end of said platform, links connectingsaid foot bar with said propulsion runners for transmitting movement ofthe foot bar to said 20 runners, a combined draft and steering handle 2.In a sleigh of the character described, a

platform having at the rear thereof a seat having a back and sides,reciprocating runners arranged at opposite sides of the platform andsupporting the latter, surface engaging means carried by each of therunners, means for reciprocating the runners; and arms pivoted at oneend to the said sides of said seat, a rocker arm pivoted intermediate.its ends to the back of said seat and connected at its respectiveopposite ends to said arms, and links connecting said arms with saidreciprocating runners.

JAMES MAURICE McNAMARA.

